How to Make the Most of Senior Year

Here we are, senior year…. the last of our time as undergraduates. Whether you’re continuing on to four more years of education, moving back into your parents’ place or hunting for a job that can actually provide you with a salary to live off of, worrying too much about the future can lead to forgetting the present. Stuck in the awkward phase of being an adult, but not having all of the responsibilities of one and realizing that we need to start taking ourselves and our classes seriously can be a wake-up call, but this is what our four (or more) years of college life have prepared us for. Despite the fact that we only have a year left, there is still plenty of room to make it the best one yet. Through going out of your comfort zone, finding out more about yourself and staying involved, you can make your senior year one for the books. Along with these, there are many other ways to appreciate the little things that college has afforded you and always keep them in mind as you go forward into the next stage of your life. This guide to enjoying your last few months will help you to create a senior year that is both memorable and satisfying. Here’s to hoping that you look back at the last four years with feelings of happiness and nostalgia and a smile on your face!

1. Explore New Places in Your Community.

Even though it’s your last year, it doesn't mean you to have to fall into the same routine you’ve always followed. Trying out a new restaurant with a different cuisine than you would normally go for or crossing the other side of the tracks to go thrift shopping can expand your horizons and make you appreciate the city that you’ve grown to love over the last few years even more.

2. Meet New People.

You would think that since it’s your senior year that meeting new people would be unnecessary. However, you never know how someone will impact your life and starting a conversation with someone in one of your classes or going out of your comfort zone to talk to new people in your clubs, organizations and favorite hang-out spots could give you another point of view. Never knowing where a conversation or an encounter can go is exciting and thrilling and you may find yourself realizing that you’ve found a new friend.

3. Try Something Different.

By try something different I mean trying something that you may not think you are good at or have always wanted to do, but never gotten around to doing. Now is the time to take that Zumba class, try painting with a twist, go rock climbing or visit that wildlife sanctuary. Take the weekend off to try new activities and classes and open yourself up to having fun and relieving stress.

4. Strengthen Your Relationships

Seeing as it’s your senior year, you may find that your schedule is jam-packed and you can barely find the time to get in a nap or a work-out session, let alone make plans to see other human beings. This is where it gets hard: balancing academic and social life, but it’s been done before, so don’t you worry. Prioritizing your friendships and relationships will lead to long lasting connections with the people you are closest to and provide you with a solid foundation for when you go out into the real world and conquer all that life throws at you. Even though you may be transitioning into a new position in life, always keep your inner circle close and remember who you’ve been blessed with.

5. Take Time Out for Yourself.

This last suggestion may be the hardest one yet. Remembering to take time for yourself in between work hours, classes and social activities can be overwhelming, but it should be one of your main priorities as a student and individual. Sometimes, filling up your bath, putting on a face mask and drinking a glass of wine can do wonders when you’ve been having a rough week. Keeping in mind to reflect on how you’re doing emotionally and assessing where you are as far as health needs and concerns is vital to your success and happiness and shouldn’t be overlooked.

All in all, experiencing senior year can be amazing. It can also be weird and terrifying and confusing and annoying. With all of these emotions and all of these decisions to make for the future, we can find ourselves getting too inside our heads and not focusing on the here and now. Take a minute to smell the roses and to think about how you’ve changed over the last four years to become the person that you’ve always wanted to be and you’ll see that four years flew by, but you’ll also see how far you’ve come.

I am a writing and rhetoric major at the University of Central Florida and I really love tacos and pugs (the dog breed). I am a writer for Her Campus UCF and have been writing since I was eight years old :). My great grandfather won the Pulitzer Prize so I have some big shoes to fill.